Ground Zero was silent Saturday.

The people who came to mourn that day observed a respectful serenity around the few New York City blocks where the World Trade Center towers once stood. The rest of the world was muted.

You couldn’t even hear the protesters up the street.

They came in droves Saturday with signs to rally against the creation of an Islamic center 300 yards from the site of 9/11 remembrance ceremonies.

At the ceremonies, they rang a bell, twice, to remember the towers that fell. They read the names of all the dead — each one of the 3,000 — to remember them.

In Shanksville, Pa., where United Flight 93 crashed to the ground nine years ago, First Lady Michelle Obama and former First Lady Laura Bush celebrated the lives of those on board.

“They rose as one, they acted as one,” Obama said. “And together they changed history’s course.”

When two lights shot upward from Ground Zero on Saturday night, it didn’t matter if you knew somebody. It didn’t matter if you’d never been to New York.

You felt the emotion. The Tuesday morning nine years ago affected us all.

Jessica Kanalas and Heather Anuta

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